Thanksgiving meals only require 5 a.m. wake-ups if you refuse to make any dishes ahead of the big day. Minimalist food writer Mark Bittman and others suggest lots of stuff you can make many days ahead of time.

Bittman's done these kind of simple meal round-ups before—including the 20-minute appetizers that might also help out with hosting duties—but these suggestions don't rely on the dishes being "quick"—just simple to execute, and able to hold for a few days before your guests arrive. The other benefit involves almost all of them being served at room temperature, and cooked at the same temperature (375 Fahrenheit) in an oven.